Shotguns homesteaders retire early after one bad night in the rain

Nothing ends a shotgun’s “working gun” career faster than a wet night, freezing wind, and a morning where the gun looks like it’s been living in a pond. Some shotguns shrug it off. Others rust fast, get sticky, or start acting weird because water found its way into places you didn’t think about.

These are 15 shotguns that commonly get “retired” after a nasty wet outing—not because they’re all junk, but because they’re more likely to punish you for moisture and neglect.

Remington 870 Express (older finish)

This is the classic answer. The Express finish in certain eras earned a reputation for rusting if you look at it wrong. One rainy night behind the door, and you wake up to orange freckles and a rough feel.

Plenty of guys keep them running with diligent oiling. The homesteaders who don’t want that extra maintenance often move on to something more corrosion-resistant.

Mossberg Maverick 88

The 88 is a great value, but it’s not a “weatherproof” shotgun. One wet night in the truck or on a porch can start surface rust quickly if it isn’t wiped down, especially if it’s been handled with sweaty hands or stored damp.

A lot of people keep an 88 as a beater—until it rusts enough that they stop wanting to deal with it.

Winchester SXP (black finishes stored wet)

SXPs can be solid, but if you store them wet or let moisture sit in the wrong spots, you can get corrosion and gritty feel quickly. Many owners don’t notice until the action starts feeling rough.

After one miserable wet hunt where the gun starts looking tired, some folks decide the “cheap but fine” plan isn’t worth the upkeep.

Stevens 320

Budget pumps don’t always handle moisture well when neglected. If water sits in the action, around pins, or under the fore-end, you can end up with rust and rough cycling sooner than you’d like.

That’s when the shotgun becomes the “I’ll clean it later” gun… and then later never comes. So it gets retired.

H&R / NEF Pardner Pump

The Pardner can be a beater, but moisture plus neglect can make it feel stiff and gritty fast. If the gun already has a somewhat rough action, any rust or grime amplifies it.

One rainy night is often enough to make owners decide they want a pump that feels smoother and resists rust better.

Remington 887 Nitro Mag

The 887 was marketed as weather-ready, but many owners still ended up with odd issues and less-than-stellar long-term satisfaction. A wet night can bring out any weakness in a shotgun’s seals, fit, and overall durability.

A lot of 887 owners simply lost confidence over time and moved on to more proven options.

Mossberg 500 (bead-blasted blued models)

The 500 is dependable, but blued finishes need care. If a 500 gets left wet, it can rust—especially in humid climates. People love the gun… until they see rust creeping into places they didn’t think about.

After one bad wet outing, some homesteaders switch to marinecote, cerakote, or just buy a more corrosion-resistant version.

Browning BPS (older blued models)

The BPS is a tank, but older blued models can still rust if neglected. Bottom eject can also make people assume “it’s sealed up,” but water still gets where it wants to go.

If you hunt in wet conditions and don’t wipe things down, even a tough BPS can start looking rough.

Benelli Nova (if stored wet and dirty)

Novas are tough, but any gun can get ugly if you store it wet and don’t clean it. Water and grit can make the action feel gritty, and if you’re sloppy about maintenance, you’ll start noticing it.

The Nova usually survives fine. What gets “retired” is often the owner’s patience for cleaning.

Stoeger P3500

The P3500 can take field use, but wet storage and neglect can lead to corrosion and rough cycling. Many owners don’t put the same maintenance into a budget 3.5″ pump, and the gun shows it quickly.

One bad wet night is enough for some folks to decide they want something simpler and smoother.

CZ 612 (budget semi-auto)

Budget semi-autos can be less forgiving in wet grime. Water plus powder residue can lead to sluggish cycling if the gun isn’t cleaned. After a wet hunt where it starts running slow, owners often lose trust.

When a semi-auto feels “picky,” it gets retired as a daily tool fast.

Weatherby SA-08

The SA-08 can run well, but like many semi-autos, it needs maintenance—especially after wet use. If you don’t break it down and dry it out, you can get rust in places that make the gun start acting up.

Many homesteaders don’t want a semi-auto that feels like a maintenance schedule. They want something they can wipe down and forget.

Remington 11-87 (older guns with wear)

Older gas guns can be sensitive to moisture and grime. If an 11-87 gets wet and you don’t clean it, cycling problems can show up faster than with a simple pump.

A lot of 11-87s become “special occasion” guns once owners get burned by one bad wet outing.

Beretta 686 (fine guns, but wood + rain)

This isn’t about the gun “failing.” It’s about what happens when you soak nice walnut and then don’t dry it right. Water can swell wood, loosen fit, and make a guy swear off bringing his nice O/U into ugly weather again.

After one drenched night, many owners decide their fine O/U is now a “nice weather only” shotgun.

Browning Citori (same wood-in-the-rain problem)

Citoris are tough, but owners hate exposing them to repeated soaking. That’s how a great gun gets “retired” from rough use—not because it can’t take it, but because the owner doesn’t want to risk it.

A homestead shotgun should be something you don’t mind wiping down with a shop rag and moving on.

Ithaca Model 37 (older blued examples)

Classic pumps are wonderful until you get them wet and realize the finish isn’t modern and the parts aren’t replaceable at Walmart. One rainy outing that leads to rust can make an owner baby the gun forever after.

That’s how a working gun becomes a safe gun: one night of bad weather and a lesson learned.